Foreign students at Harvard seek legal help after US halts enrolment

In response, Harvard denounced the government’s move as “unlawful,” reaffirming its support for its international community.

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“We are fully committed to educating foreign students,” the university said in a statement. Chinese students currently represent the largest international demographic at the Ivy League school.

Zhang, a 24-year-old Chinese PhD student in physics, described growing anxiety among the student community. “I think the Chinese community definitely feels like a more targeted entity compared to other groups,” he said. Due to security concerns, he declined to provide his first name.

“Some friends gave me advice that I should try not to stay in my current accommodation if things escalate, because they think it’s possible that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent can take you from your apartment,” Zhang added.

Many students are worried about their visa status, academic future, and job prospects.

However, some remain hopeful that Harvard will prevail in what is expected to be a heated legal confrontation.

The number of Chinese students studying in the U.S. has declined in recent years, falling from a peak of around 370,000 in 2019 to approximately 277,000 in 2024.